182 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



Makch 2, 1912. 



tionally decorative for small vasee or for 

 edging the stages of a warm greenhouse. 

 There is also a variegated form of this 

 cyperus, hut so far my eiforts to raise 

 variegat'e<l seedlings have met with practi- 

 cally no success. 



Eucalyptus globulus will quickly grow 

 up into useful-sized plants from^ seeds, 

 and the glauoous-green leafage makes a 

 striking contrast to the foliage of other 

 plants. This is also a great success as a 

 sub-tropical bedding plant, and if kept in 

 pots for a few years it wil! become a) spe- 

 cimen of large size. 



EuJalia ja,ponica variegat-a is a handsome 

 and graceful deooraftive plani}, that every- 

 one ought to include in a^ collection, how- 

 ever small. When raised from seeds its 

 Variegation is scarcely so pronounced in the 

 early stages, but as the seedlings develop 

 and are subjecfted to root restriction^ the 

 variegation is all that may be desired, while 

 the constitution of the seedlings is so robust 

 that the plants will aittain a height of five 



MAINCROP POTATOES^ 



Though the cultivation of the potato is 



carried out by almost eA'^eryone who makes 

 any pretence at vegetable cultivaftionj 

 there are, neverthelesis, right and wrong 



methods, and my remarks hereafter are in- 

 tended for those who may not be conver- 

 sant with the best practice to obtain the 

 most satisfactory results. 



Preparation of the Soil. 



As is generally knoavn, some localities 

 and soils lend themselves mudh more 

 readily to the prodtiction of t^ilbers of good 

 quality than otihers. Broadly speaking, 

 the most suitaible siltua-tions are those of 

 fairly high elevation, with a natural drain- 

 age, and land also of a moderately dry 

 character and of a cihalky nature. Light 

 sandy loam is ailso good for poftatoes. 

 Neverrtheless^ by adopting special moan« 

 good results, may be olbbadned even on soil 

 which is less suitable and of a stubborn 

 nature. lb is essential tiait the plots be 



sets are generally preferred here, and prove 

 to be the beet for most English counties- 

 on our heavy land we have made many ex', 

 periments in this way, and I do not hesi- 

 tate to recommend purchasing seeds from 

 one or other of the countries, named. 



Planting^. 



Much will depend upon the locality in 

 which on© resides las to when planting is 

 to begin, but, speaking generally^ from 

 the middle of March (to the middle of April 

 is tlie best time, and, if possiible, the work 

 sihouJd be carried out when the ground k 

 in a fairly dry and workable condition. 



More potatoes are ruined ithrough over- 

 crowding than from amy other cause. It is 

 simply a waste of seed and time to plant 

 too ^thickly, and particularly go with varie- 

 ties which make a lot of growth, as in wet 

 seasons sun and air 'are praictieally ex- 

 cluded, and disease is almost certain to 

 puit in an early appearance, and ruin a 

 great portion of the crop. From 2ft. 6in. 

 to 3ft. should be allowed between the 



i'O I AiU DuHlUi 



A handsome and productive maincrop variety introduced by Messrs. Dobbie and Co., Edinburgh, 



Merit from the Eoyal Horticultural Society, September 26, 1911. 



which received an Award of 



t)r six feet in one season under liberal treat- 

 ment. 



Grevillea robusta is a m^agnificent green- 

 liouse shrub, with fern-like foliage, and 

 it is easily raised from seedfe, and available 

 for decoration at any size. Tiie seeds are 

 often a long time germinating, and very 

 irregular, consequently each seedling should 

 be tran-^iplanted soon as large enough, 

 taking care not to disturb the rest. 



John Donoghue. 



Bardon Hill Gardens, Leeds. 



Autumn-sown Onions-— Whenever 



the ground is in a working condition, plant 

 these without delay, as far better results 

 are achieved by transplanting the onions now 

 than leaving them where they were sown, a^ 

 they bulb more quickly and come larger. 

 Lightly fork over the site, apply a broadcast 



garden refuse, and plant 

 at one foot apart, and 

 the same distance from plant to plant. All 

 surplus plant© should be planted thickly on 

 a small border, firmly, as these are 

 good for €arly use. — G, Ellwood. 



sowing of burnt 

 forthwith, in li 



very 



well drained, and the land turned up to 

 a good depth by trenching or bastard 

 trenching during the winter months, and 

 wherever the soil is destitute of lime a 

 good quiantity should he strewn over the 

 surface after the work is completed. 

 Burnt gaixlen refuse is also a useful addi- 

 tion, applied in the same way. Leave the 

 ground in this condition until the time 

 arrives for planting the sets. 



Preparation of the Tubers. 



It is of the utmosrt importance that the 

 seed tubers s-hould be properly prepared 

 by selecting medium-sized seh^ at this sea- 

 son of the year J land laying them ourt; thinly 

 in a frost-iproof, fairly light building. This 

 prevents that waste of .growth which is 

 bound to owur if the tubers are left in 

 the clamips foi- a further peri<Mi. 



Change of s*mhI is another matter in 

 cultivation of the potato which ought not 

 to be overlooked, las it has been proved over 

 and over again that fresh supplies from 

 quite another distri<-t amply r<^pay for their 

 extra cost. Both Irish and Scotch grown 



rows 



the 



and twenty to twenty-four melies 

 between the sets. It is a capital plan alter 

 the trench iis opened to place a little long 

 stalble litter or well-decayed leaf-soil m tli*| 

 bottom, and after the 'tubers .are placed 



thereon, add a slight covering of the same 

 material hefore placing the excavated so^' 

 over them. Nothing further will need to 

 be done until the young growth makes 

 appearance above the soil. If i^^^ ^ 

 are likely to oocur the growths should 

 covered over with a .li'tJtle fine soil during 

 the afternoons, .a^ it is well to remem^^ 

 thatt when the growths are injured by troe^, 

 even ever so litt'e, they never give the sanie 

 results as when unaffected. , t 



Before earthing up the ground shoiu« 

 be flat^hoed between the plants and i-o^^. 

 three times, if possible, as this has a sti- 

 mulating effect, and keeps weeds ni chech. 

 When about from three to four in^*^^,!. 

 height the growths should be caretiU'> 

 mouldeil up w^ith a draw-hoe, at t-he 

 time taking care to finely break up ai. 

 lumps of soil. A dressing of soot at tn 

 pericKl will be found of much assistance. 



